Adjustable gun trigger locks



Jan. 21, 1969 FOOTE ET AL 3,422,560

v ADJUSTABLE GUN TRIGGER LOCKS Filed May 25. 1966 Sheet INVENTORSTIMOTHY C. FOOTE KENNETH H.BUCHMANN /flmlvllimw ATTORNEYS Jan.21,1969 T.c. FOOTE ETAL 3,422,560

ADJUSTABLE GUN TRIGGER LOCKS Filed May 25, 1966 i 1 i "III-Eh HUIIIIMIINVENTORS TIMOTHY C. FOOTE.

KENNETH H.BUCHMANN ATTORNEYS United States Patent U M 3,422,560ADJUSTABLE GUN TRIGGER LOCKS Timothy C. Foote, Brookfield, and KennethH. Buchmann, Menomonee Falls, Wis., assignors to Master Lock Company,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 25, 1966, Ser. No.552,759

US. Cl. 42-70 Int. Cl. F41c 17/02 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to improvements in adjustable gun trigger locks.

There have been many prior attempts, in the nature of safety devices,caps, and locking devices to block the loading of firearms.Additionally, safety locks and clamps positioned in or around the gunframes to prevent accidental discharge have been proposed, but all ofthese prior attempts have proven to be impractical, clumsy, andinconvenient in use. The problem has been magnified by the great varietyand styles of guns and rifles produced by many different manufacturersresulting in non-uniform location of and variations in the shapes,contours and sizes of trigger guards. Cosequently, while a safetydevice, cap, or lock will fit one particular make and size of gun, it'will not fit or cannot be used in connection with other makes or stylesof guns.

The basic purpose of a gun trigger lock is to prevent the unauthorizeduse of the gun, to prevent the accidental discharge of a loaded gun by achild or adult stranger, and to prevent unauthorized use of stolen guns.A practical and acceptable trigger lock, therefore, should give adequateprotection, be easily adaptable and adjustable, and fit practically allrifles and shotguns regardless of their trigger guard contours.

With the foregoing in mind it is, therefore, a primary object of thepresent invention to provide an adjustable gun trigger lock which meetsall of the foregoing requirements, and which not only clamps to the guntrigger guard, but actually covers the entire trigger Opening, blockingthe trigger itself from the rear, the entire device being locked to thetrigger guard through a pin-tumbler cylinder mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a unique type ofadjustable gun trigger lock adapted for use on single trigger rifles andshotguns, and which is, moreover, simple, secure and attractive inappearance.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an adjustable guntrigger lock having a plurality of guide holes, a registering pair ofwhich are adapted to receive a selected trigger blocking pin which whenthe trigger lock is applied locates snugly behind the gun trigger and,as the trigger guard is enclosed by the lock, accidental movement of thetrigger is prevented.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a gun lock thatis adjustable to variously located gun triggers and includes a blockingpm of a selected size accommodated snugly in the trigger guard spacerear- 3,422,560 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 wardly of the trigger to therebyprevent any actuation of the gun trigger.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a gun trigger look atwo-piece spring-loaded cylinder lock wherein the spring tension makesit possible to firmly hold the back plate of the lock, whereby the lockcan be used on different sizes and kinds of single triggered guns, thespring tension also permitting the entire unit to be securely locked togun trigger guards of different breadths.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved gun triggerlock that can be releasably locked to a rifle or shotgun trigger guardthrough a key operated mechanism, the entire lock enclosing the triggerand trigger guard of the gun to prevent accidental discharge while in nomanner interfering with the storage, handling, or carrying of the gun,whether or not it is loaded.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a gun triggerlock which incorporates a spring-loaded cylinder mechanism and latchthat fits into a latching pocket under spring pressure, whereby theentire lock unit is securely locked to a gun trigger guard, with thespring pressure preventing it from moving, rattling, or scufling thefinish of the trigger guard.

A further object is to provide an improved gun trigger lock thatincludes a pair of laterally separated sideplates, a latch, latchpocket, internal pin, and locking mechanism, all of which fit and clampinto the trigger guard of a gun in a manner so that the trigger lockcannot be cut off or removed when in its locked position on a guntrigger guard.

Still another object is to provide a key operated, spring loaded guntrigger lock which affords protection against access to the gun triggerby children or unauthorized persons, the gun trigger lock, nevertheless,being susceptible of easy removal from the gun when desired by theowner, or in case of emergency by using the proper key.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable guntrigger lock which is easily applied to or removed from the triggerguard of a gun or rifle, which prevents unauhorized operation of the guntrigger, which is adjustable to fit trigger guards of various breadthsand contours regardless of the trigger location within the triggerguard, which is strong and durable and effective in use, and which iswell adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved adjustable gun trigger lock, and its parts and combinations asset forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference charactersindicate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a gun showing the improvedkey-actuated adjustable gun trigger lock applied to the gun triggerguard in blocking relation to the gun trigger;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary face view of the gun trigger guard andthe adjacent portion of the gun with the trigger lock applied thereto,parts being broken away and in section to show structural details;

FIG. 3 is an inverted plan view of the trigger lock as applied to a guntrigger guard and trigger with portions broken away and shown insection;

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the trigger lock in its locked condition;

FIG. 5 is an inverted plan view of the trigger guard in its open orspread condition;

FIG. 6 is an inverted plan view, in section, of the trigger lock in itssecured-together operative condition with the latch locked; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximatelyalong the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3thereof, it will appear that a preferred embodiment of the improvedadjustable gun trigger lock is designated generally by the numeral 10.This trigger lock is especially adapted for use in connection with thetriggers of various types of guns and rifles, but because of itscharacteristics it is not intended for use with pistols. A conventionalgun is indicated by the numeral 11 and the same has a trigger guard 12depending from a portion thereof, as shown. According to the presentinvention the gun trigger lock is, when applied to the gun trigger guard12, adapted to enclose the same and cover the gun trigger '13, as isbest shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 rendering the gun trigger inaccessiblefor unauthorized operation.

The gun trigger lock 10 includes a front face plate 14 and a separate,but complementary, rear plate 15. Both of the plates 14 and 15, whichare adapted to be laterally spaced apart to adjustably conform to thebreadth of the gun trigger guard 12, are of similar ovate shape and theend portions of the respective plates are formed with series ofregistering apertures 16 arranged in arcuate formation. To ultimatelyconnect the plates 14 and 15 together in enclosing relation to thetrigger guard 12, a pin '17 is utilized, the outer shouldered threadedend of the pin 17 being threaded into one of the threaded openings 16 inthe front wall plate 14 adjacent the lefthand end of the plate relativeto FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, while the other reduced end of the pin 17 isadapted to engage in one of the apertures 16 in the inner or rear plate15 which is in coincidence with the aperture in the front wall plate 14into which the threaded reduced end of the pin 17 was selectivelyinserted. At this point it should be stated that a pair of pins 17 ofdifferent diameters (as to their main body portions) may be providedwith the assemblage, and to adapt the gun trigger lock to a particulargun trigger location within its trigger guard, a pin of a suitablediameter is utilized. The selection of a particular pair of re isteringapertures '16 for the selected pin 17 is related to the spacing of thetrigger 13 within the rear end portion of the trigger guard 12, it beingessential in the assembled and mounted condition of the trigger lockthat the transverse connecting pin 17 be located between the trigger 13and the inner face of the rear end of the trigger guard 12 in a mannerso as to most effectively occupy the space between said elements. Thelength of a pin 17 is such that the trigger lock assemblage 10, whenapplied to a trigger guard 12, will snugly accommodate the latter.

The inner face of the front plate 14 of the trigger lock assemblage isformed with an inwardly projecting cup or socket 18 of ovate form which,within its inner end, houses a coiled spring '19 resiliently engagingthe inner end portion of a cylinder shell 20, also of ovate formation,and which reciprocatably projects into the socket 18. The cylinder shell20, in turn, has secured therewithin a conventional lock plug 21, shownmost clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, and which is provided with a slot 22 toreceive a special notched actuating key 23. The key, when turned withinthe cylinder shell, imparts turning movement to the lock plug to therebyturn a latch 24 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) carried fast by the inner end of thelock plug 21.

The rear plate 15 of the lock assemblage is formed with a forwardlyprojecting pocketed boss 25 having an entrance opening 26 therein of alength sufficient to receive the latch 24 when the latter is in thereleasing position of the latch and shaped to correspond to the shape ofthe latter. However, when, by means of the key 23, the lock plug isturned through a 90 angle from its unlocked position, the opposite endsof the latch 24, when the device is assembled and applied, lodge undershoulders 27 on opposite sides of the mouth of the pocketed boss 25,which serve to prevent unauthorized separation of the lock plates 14 and15 and consequent removal of the lock assemblage from the trigger guard,all as will hereinafter appear. The rear end of the pocket 25 is coveredby a decorative cap 28.

To mount the improved adjustable gun trigger lock assemblage 10 onto thetrigger guard 12 of a gun or rifle, the rear plate 15 of the triggerlock, separated from its components, is manually held against the remoteside of the trigger guard 12, with the lower edge of the latter beingaccommodated within a groove 29 (see FIG. 4) formed by spacedprotuberances on a face of the rear plate '15 below a marginal portionof the boss 25. Next, the proper key 23 for the lock is inserted intothe slot 22 in the lock plug 21 and the key is turned a quarter of arevolution in a clockwise direction relative to FIG. 2, turning movementof the lock plug 21 by the key being limited by engagement of aflattened surface 30 on the plug 21 with a shouldered stop 31 formed inthe base of the socket 18. With this manipulation the latch 24 will bealignable with the entrance opening 26 in the pocketed boss 25. Thefront plate 14 of the assemblage should next be brought against thefront surface of the trigger guard 12 with the inner reduced end of thepin 17 entering one of the series of apertures 16 in the rear plate 15which registers with the aperture in the front plate into which the pinis threaded. A lower edge portion of the trigger guard 12 will then seatin a groove 32 formed on the lower inner face portion of the front plate14 below the cup or socket 18. Inasmuch as the grooves 29 and 32 arealigned, the cup or socket will be positioned within the gun triggerguard 12, slightly forwardly of the trigger 13. The preselectedtransverse blocking pin 17 assumes a position slightly rearwardly of thetrigger 13. The cylinder shell 20, being reciprocatable against thespring 19, may be depressed by pushing inwardly on the key 23 and lockplug 21, and this moves the latch 24 deeply within the pocket 25 of therear plate 15. Next, by turning the key 23 a quarter of a revolution ina reverse direction, the latch 24 will be crosswise to the entranceopening or slot 26 and will thereby be retained within the pocket 25 byengagement of the ends of the latch with the shoulders 27, as shown inFIG. 7. The key may then be removed and it will be evident that theentire assemblage is securely locked to the trigger guard. The spring19, exerting a force against the cylinder shell 20, will preventrattling or such movement of the parts as would scuff or mar the finishof the gun trigger guard. The yielding reciprocation of the shell 20afforded by the spring '19 also adapts the trigger lock to gun triggerguards of varying breadths, within certain limits.

The front and rear plates 14 and 15 of the gun trigger lock assemblagecorrespond in shape to the general outline or contour of a gun triggerguard 12. When the gun trigger lock is applied to a gun trigger guardand the trigger 13 therewithin the same are completely confined withinthe space between the connected plates 14 and 15. It will also beobserved that the cup or socket 18 occupies a substantial space withinthe trigger guard forwardly of the trigger, while the transverse pin 17,extending across the rear of the gun trigger lock, blocks access to thetrigger. Consequently, when the gun trigger lock is in its appliedposition on a gun trigger guard, access to the gun trigger iseffectively prevented so that the gun may not be shot unauthorizedly.Due to the spring mounting of the cylinder shell and the parts carriedthereby the latch 24 may be readily projected into its pocketed boss 25and, by turning movement effected by the key, the latch is caused toengage within the pocketed boss against the shoulders therein. Thisspring loading of the parts referred to also adapts the device to firmmounting on gun trigger guards of varying breadths. By providing a guntrigger lock having a key-controlled pin-tumbler cylinder mechanism, noone, except the possessor of the key, can gain access to the lock. Thelock assemblage, when mounted, is so compact and snugly applied that itin no manner interferes with the storage or handling or carrying of thegun.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved guntrigger lock is readily adaptable to trigger guards of various types ofguns and rifles and prevents unauthorized operation of the gun trigger.The lock assemblage is easy to apply or release, is adjustable, and iswell adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In combination with a gun trigger guard spacedly surrounding a guntrigger, a trigger locking device releasably and transversely adjustablyenclosing said trigger guard and including a pair of laterally spacedapart plates, one of which carries an inwardly projecting transversespring loaded lock assembly with a latch on its inner end, and the otherof which is formed with an inwardly projecting latch socket boss intowhich the latch resiliently, releasably and adjustably extends, the rearportion of each plate being formed with a series of spaced apart guideholes with the holes of one plate registering with those of the otherplate, and a transverse connection between the rear end portions of saidplates selectively mounted in a pair of registering plate holes, the guntrigger being con- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,846,8222/1932 Vogt 7036O 2,032,821 3/1936 Waits 7036O 2,893,152 7/1959 Peluso427O 3,066,433 12/1962 Rogers 42-70 3,164,919 1/1965 Hall 42-7O MARVINA. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 70-58

